City Makes Plans To Ease Parking For 2 Colleges

August 07, 1991|by ELLIOT GROSSMAN, The Morning Call

Bethlehem City Council last night adopted a program to make it easier for employees of the city's two colleges to park on streets near the schools, and moved ahead with plans to forbid the consumption of alcoholic beverages in most public areas.

The parking program would limit parking on certain streets to employees who have applied for permits. The permits would cost $40 annually. Stickers would be issued for the employees' vehicles.

Council would designate the streets based on recommendations from the city Parking Authority and the colleges.

Lehigh University has indicated it would like certain streets on its campus included in the program to ease its employees' parking problems. Moravian College has said it does not want any streets on its campus included.

Council decided the program would expire in two years because Lehigh has plans to build parking garages to address the parking problems. Mayor Ken Smith would have to approve the program before it goes into effect.

Council also approved on first reading a proposed ordinance that would regulate the outdoor consumption of alcoholic beverages or the outdoor possession of open containers of alcoholic beverages.

The measure would have to be passed by council a second time before it would go to the mayor for approval.

The ordinance would not forbid the consumption of beer in three city parks. And it would not prohibit consumption at outdoor festivals, such as Musikfest, which receive special permits. It also would not bar drinking at restaurants that have permits to serve alcohol outdoors.

Those areas where consumption would generally be prohibited include streets, parking lots, sidewalks, cemeteries and areas next to restaurants, bars and other businesses. Consumption would also be forbidden in parked vehicles.

Penalties would be a fine of $100 and/or 30 days imprisonment for the first offense; $300 and/or 60 days imprisonment for the second offense; and $600 and/or 90 days imprisonment for subsequent offenses.

The measure was prompted by complaints from South Side business owners who said drunken people had been loitering near their establishments.

In another matter, by a 4-1 vote, council returned to its Community Development Committee a proposal to rezone land at Schoenersville Road and Industrial Drive to allow construction of a Burger King restaurant.

Council members indicated they want to study the matter further to determine if potential traffic problems can be solved.

Councilman John Lawrence, who voted against the decision, said he did so because he wanted the proposal to be defeated immediately.

"It's a dangerous area that they're planning it in," Lawrence said. "I don't think it'll improve the area one bit."

Bob Young Trucking Inc., owner of the 7-acre lot, has asked that the property be rezoned from a planned industrial classification to commercial-shopping.

The city Planning Commission had recommended that council reject the proposal based on concerns about traffic.

Lehigh Valley Industrial Park Association, representing LVIP tenants, told council that it favors the proposal but that the property owner should be required to provide funds and land for a traffic light at Schoenersville Road and Industrial Drive.

Council took no action on a proposal by the city administration to update the fleet of city cars.